Splittable fluid sample collector

ABSTRACT

A splittable fluid sample collector for dividing a fluid sample into two or more portions, includes at least first and second fluid collector portions detachably connected to one another, each of the fluid collector portions including a handle and an absorbent sample pad affixed to an end of the handle. Further, a fluid sampling apparatus includes the aforementioned splittable fluid sample collector, at least one container and a closure for the container. Still further, a method for splitting a fluid sample including providing the aforementioned splittable fluid sample collector, collecting a fluid sample with the absorbent sample pads of the splittable fluid sample collector and splitting the first and second fluid collector portions of the splittable fluid sample collector from one another.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/932,718, filed Nov. 4, 2015. The entire disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/932,718 is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to fluid sampling. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a splittable fluid sample collector for a fluid sampling apparatus which collects and stores a fluid sample, the splittable fluid sample collector being splittable into two or more fluid collector portions each having an absorbent sample pad absorbed with a portion of the fluid sample.

BACKGROUND

Body fluids have long been used to diagnostically test and monitor for various biochemical and/or physiological conditions of a person's body. Typically, blood and urine samples are used to analyze and determine various conditions of the body.

More recently, oral fluids or saliva have been used to analyze and provide valuable information regarding various bodily conditions. For example, saliva may be used for diagnostically testing an individual for a variety of medical conditions or drug use including, without limitation, hepatitis, HIV, nicotine and cocaine. Clinics for oncology, neurology, infertility, allergy, orthopedic and pain typically use samples of saliva for such testing.

The use of saliva as a diagnostic test medium can be more desirable than blood because saliva is readily obtained without the use of intrusive sampling methods, such as needles and syringes. Saliva testing can also be more desirable than urine testing because saliva sampling can be easily monitored to ensure that the sample has been obtained from the person of interest.

Devices designed for sampling saliva and other fluids may use an absorbent collection pad or member to absorb a fluid specimen. Since the diagnostic test may need to be repeated to adequately identify or verify a condition, at least a second fluid sample may be required. Currently, this may require a technician to obtain a second fluid sample from the person using a second sampling device, which increases the cost, time, and inconvenience of sampling.

Accordingly, a device, apparatus, and method are needed, which reduce or eliminate the need for obtaining multiple fluid samples.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein is a splittable fluid sample collector for dividing a fluid sample into two or more portions. The splittable fluid sample collector may comprise, in various embodiments, at least first and second fluid collector portions detachably connected to one another, each of the fluid collector portions including a handle and an absorbent sample pad affixed to an end of the handle.

Further disclosed herein is a fluid sampling apparatus. The fluid sampling apparatus may comprise, in various embodiments, a container and the above-described splittable fluid sample collector.

Further disclosed herein is a method for splitting a fluid sample comprising providing the above-described splittable fluid sample collector, collecting a fluid sample with the absorbent sample pads of the splittable fluid sample collector and splitting the first and second fluid collector portions of the splittable fluid sample collector from one another.

In some embodiments, the absorbent sample pads are arranged opposite one another.

In some embodiments, the absorbent sample pads at least partially contact one another.

In some embodiments, the handles are arranged opposite one another.

In some embodiments, the handles at least partially contact one another.

In some embodiments, the handles are detachably connected to one another with one or more frictionally engaging connecting elements.

In some embodiments, the handles are detachably connected to one another with one or more frangible welds or a frangible adhesive.

In some embodiments, the absorbent sample pads are connected to one another by one or more frangible elements.

In some embodiments, the one or more frangible elements comprise one or more uncut portions of pad material.

The same reference numerals are used in the drawings to identify the same or similar elements and structures in the various embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a fluid sampling apparatus of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of an illustrative embodiment of a container of the fluid sampling apparatus of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of a closure of the fluid sampling apparatus of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 4A-4C are perspective views of an illustrative embodiment of a splittable fluid sample collector of the fluid sampling apparatus of the present disclosure, where FIG. 4A shows the collector prior to splitting, FIG. 4B shows the splitting of the collector, and FIG. 4C, shows the collector after being split and separated into first and second fluid collector portions.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the splittable fluid sample collector shown in FIGS. 4A-4C, illustrating a frangible element connecting absorbent sample pads of the collector prior to completion of the splitting process.

FIGS. 6A-6C are perspective views of another illustrative embodiment of the splittable fluid sample collector of the fluid sampling apparatus of the present disclosure, where FIG. 6A shows the collector prior to splitting, FIG. 6B shows the splitting of the collector by a technician or user, and FIG. 6C shows the collector after being split and separated into first and second fluid collector portions.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another illustrative embodiment of the splittable fluid sample collector of the fluid sampling apparatus of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of a fluid sampling apparatus 10 for collecting and storing a fluid sample, such as saliva, other body fluid, or a fluid other than a body fluid. As shown, the fluid sampling apparatus 10 may comprise one or more containers 12 each having a closure 14, and a splittable fluid sample collector 16. The splittable fluid sample collector 16 is constructed so that a technician or user can collect a single fluid sample from a person without touching the sample and then divide the fluid sample into two or more sample portions.

Referring to FIG. 2, some embodiments of the container 12 may have a tube-like configuration comprising a side wall 12 sw having a closed end 12 c with a rim-like base 12 b and an open end 12 o disposed opposite to the closed end 12 c. The base 12 b allows the container 12 to stand up-right on a support surface. A sealing bead 12 sb may be provided on an inner side 12 iw of the side wall 12 sw, near its open end 12 o. In some embodiments, the container 12 may contain a solution, such as a buffer solution, to maintain and/or stabilize the pH of the fluid sample.

Referring to FIG. 3, some embodiments of the closure 14 may include a body 14 b and a stopper member 14 s axially extending from the body 14 b. The closure 14 may be used for closing the open end 12 o of the container 12 (FIG. 1) and may be constructed to mechanically couple to the open end 12 o of the container 12 so that the stopper member 14 s enters the container 12 and engages the sealing bead 12 sb on the inner surface 12 iw of the container side wall 12 sw thereof in a hermetic manner.

FIG. 4A-4C collectively illustrate the splittable fluid sample collector 16 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the splittable fluid sample collector 16 comprises first and second fluid collector portions 16 a and 16 b arranged opposite one another and detachably connected to one another so that the technician or user can obtain the fluid sample and then divide the fluid sample into two sample portions by splitting and separating the first and second fluid collector portions from one another. Each fluid collector portion 16 a, 16 b may comprise an absorbent sample pad 18 a, 18 b and a handle 20 a, 20 b. The handles 20 a, 20 b can be arranged opposite one another and can at least partially or fully contact one another. The absorbent sample pads 18 a, 18 b can be arranged opposite one another and can at least partially or fully contact one another. The absorbent sample pads, in embodiments of the fluid sample collector that comprise three or more fluid collector portions, can have one or more openings that allow the fluid sample to contact and be absorbed by the inner-most absorbent sample pads. The absorbent sample pads, in still other embodiments of the fluid sample collector, can be spaced from one another to allow the fluid sample to contact and be absorbed by the inner-most absorbent sample pads and/or the opposing inner surfaces of the pads. The handles 20 a, 20 b can each include a finger gripping element 24 a, 24 b at a free first end 22 a, 22 b thereof and a receptacle member 28 a, 28 b at an opposite second end 26 a, 26 b thereof, for fixedly receiving and holding an end portion 19 a, 19 b of the absorbent sample pad 18 a, 18 b. The finger gripping elements 24 a, 24 b allow the technician or user to manually grasp the collector 16 and/or split and separate the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b from one another. In embodiments where the fluid sample to be taken is a saliva sample, the portions of the absorbent sample pads 18 a, 18 b, which extend from the handles 20 a, 20 b, may be sized and shaped in some embodiments to be comfortably placed in a mouth of a person to be sampled to absorb and thereby collect a sample of saliva fluid therefrom for diagnostic testing. In such embodiments, the portions of the absorbent sample pads 18 a, 18 b extending from the handles 20 a, 20 b can be shaped like a conventional tongue depressor, as shown in FIGS. 4A-4C.

As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b of the splittable fluid sample collector 16 can be detachably connected to one another with one or more pin-shape connecting elements 30 a provided on the handle 20 a of one of the fluid collector portions 16 a, which frictionally engage(s) or is (are) received in one or more corresponding aperture-shape connecting elements 30 b provided in the handle 20 b of the other fluid collector portion 16 b, when the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b are detachably connected to one another prior to splitting and separation. In other embodiments, the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b can be detachably connected to one another with one or more frangible welds formed on the handles 20 a, 20 b (not shown) using conventional plastic welding techniques. In still other embodiments the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b can be detachably connected to one another with a frangible adhesive applied to opposing surfaces of the handles 20 a, 20 b. Further, the absorbent sample pads 18 a, 18 b, in some embodiments of the splittable fluid sample collector 16, can also be connected to one another by an uncut portion of absorbent sample pad material 19, as illustrated in FIG. 5, which can easily be torn or broken to completely separate the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b from one another after (or before) sampling.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4C, the finger gripping elements 24 a, 24 b each have an ear-shape configuration that projects laterally from their corresponding handle 20 a, 20 b at the first free end 22 a, 22 b thereof. In another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6A-6C, the finger gripping elements 24 a′, 24 b′ of the splittable fluid sample collector 16′ each have a flap-shape configuration that projects axially and at an angle from the free first end of 22 a, 22 b of their corresponding handle 20 a, 20 b, so that when the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b are connected to one another, the finger gripping elements 24 a′, 24 b′ diverge from one another.

The container 12, the handles 20 a, 20 b of the splittable fluid sample collector 16, 16′ and/or the closure 14 may be formed from a thermoplastic material or any other suitable material using conventional plastic forming techniques. The absorbent sample pads 18 a, 18 b can comprise a piece of filter paper or any other suitable material that is capable of absorbing fluid such as saliva or any other desired fluid.

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of the splittable fluid sample collector 16″ according to the present disclosure. The splittable fluid sample collector 16″ is similar to the splittable fluid sample collectors of FIGS. 4A-C and 6A-6C, except that it comprises three fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b, 16 c.

An illustrative embodiment of a fluid sampling method using the fluid sampling apparatus of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 6A-6C. One of ordinary skill in the art will of course appreciate that the method is also applicable to the embodiments of FIGS. 4A-4C and FIG. 7. For the purpose of illustration only, the method will be described as it pertains to obtaining a salvia sample. One of ordinary skill in the art will of course recognize that the method can also be used to obtain other types of bodily fluid samples including but not limited to blood, urine, and sweat, and non-bodily fluid samples including but not limited to well water, oil, and gas condensates. In the method, the technician or user grasps the splittable fluid sample collector 16 of FIG. 6A by the handles 20 a, 20 b (the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b are connected to one another) and places the absorbent sample pads 18 a, 18 b of the collector 16 into the mouth of a person from whom it is desired to collect the saliva fluid sample from. Once the absorbent sample pads 18 a, 18 b have absorbed the fluid sample, the technician or user may grasp the collector 16 by the handles 20 a, 20 b and remove the pads 18 a, 18 b from the person's mouth. If only one saliva fluid sample is desired, the technician or user can place the splittable fluid sample collector 16 with the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b connected to one another, into one of the containers 12 (pad end first) and close the container with the closure 14 and save the splittable collector 16 for future testing. If the more than one fluid sample is desired, the technician or user can split and separate the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b of the splittable fluid sample collector 16, as shown in FIG. 6B, by grasping each of the finger gripping elements 24 a′, 24 b′ with two fingers of one of the technician's or user's hand and pulling the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b apart from one another in the direction of arrows A and B to split and separate the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b from one another. Once separated from one another, as shown in FIG. 6C, the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b can each be placed into their own container 12 and the container 12 closed with a corresponding closure 14 and saved for future testing.

In other embodiments of the method, the fluid collector portions 16 a, 16 b of the splittable fluid sample collector 16 can be split and separated from one another prior to use in collecting a fluid sample. In such embodiments, each of the fluid collector portions 16, 16 b can then be used separately to collect a fluid sample.

Although the fluid sampling apparatus and splittable fluid sample collector of the disclosure have been described in terms of illustrative embodiments, they are not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly, to comprise other variants and embodiments of the fluid sampling apparatus and splittable collector, which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the fluid sampling apparatus and the splittable fluid sample collector elements. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A splittable fluid sample collector for dividing a fluid sample into two or more portions, the splittable fluid sample collector comprising: a first fluid collector portion including a first handle and a first absorbent sample pad affixed to an end of the first handle; and a second fluid collector portion including a second handle and a second absorbent sample pad affixed to an end of the second handle; wherein the first and second fluid collector portions are disposed opposite to each other in a face-to-face manner; and wherein the first and second handles are detachably connected to each other with at least one frictionally engaging connecting element, at least one frangible weld, or a frangible adhesive.
 2. The splittable fluid sample collector according to claim 1, wherein the first and second absorbent sample pads at least partially contact one another.
 3. The splittable fluid sample collector according to claim 1, wherein the first and second handles are arranged opposite one another.
 4. The splittable fluid sample collector according to claim 1, wherein the first and second handles each includes a finger gripping element.
 5. The splittable fluid sample collector according to claim 4, wherein the finger gripping elements have an ear-shaped configuration
 6. The splittable fluid sample collector according to claim 4, wherein the finger gripping elements have a flap-shape configuration.
 7. The splittable fluid sample collector according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second absorbent sample pads includes a first planar face surface, a second planar face surface, and a peripheral edge surface extending between the first and second planar face surfaces.
 8. The splittable fluid sample collector according to claim 7, wherein the first and second planar face surfaces of each of the first and second absorbent sample pads has a width that is greater than a width of its peripheral edge surface.
 9. The splittable fluid sample collector according to claim 8, wherein the first and second absorbent sample pads are arranged opposite one another so that one of the first and second planar face surfaces of the first absorbent sample pad faces one of the first and second planar face surfaces of the second absorbent sample pad.
 10. The splittable fluid sample collector according to claim 8, wherein the peripheral edge surfaces of the first and second absorbent sample pads face a same direction.
 11. A fluid sampling apparatus comprising: a container; and a splittable fluid sample collector according to claim
 1. 